How to manage your mental health during the winter

The 16th of January 2023 is the most depressing day of the year, according to the British psychologist Cliff Arnall. Winter is seeming to last forever, it is still dark early in the afternoon, exam weeks breathing down your neck. We can all agree that this is maybe not the most exciting time of the year. However, the good news is: there are things you can do to make this early stage of 2023 as pleasant as possible! Today we will share some tips with you to rock your exams while managing your mental health.

By Myrthe Smit

You’re never alone!
First of all, make sure you know that it is totally okay to not feel okay! Many students experience struggles. And that is not surprising. Things such as the pressure to get splendid grades, gaining extracurricular experience to build a CV, managing the financial situation with this ever increasing inflation ratio, handling with loneliness, and emotional instability are not easy tasks to handle…If you encounter any of these things, or any other difficulty, know that you’re not alone in this. The Dutch institution for mental healthcare together with the Trimbos institute and the area health authority (GGD) did research and found that more than half of the students have internalized feelings, such as depression, anxiety or loneliness (Koers, 2022).

Talk about how you feel!
Make sure you talk to someone if you are not feeling so well! You can do this with anyone you feel safe with. A friend, your parents or a professional.. Please remind yourself that there is always someone near you that wants to listen! Within the EBF we also have confidential advisors you can always talk with! They are always open to a conversation where they will listen to your story. Feel free to reach out to them, they are obliged to share not a thing about who they meet with or what they talk about.

Take a few moments during your day! 
Another great tip that a researcher in the field of clinical psychology, Nina Kupper, gives is to take five minutes during your day to focus on your breathing and to consciously think about how you’re feeling at the moment. If your parasympathetic nervous system is active, a fight or flight reaction is established. This can make you feel restless. By taking a moment to focus on yourself, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for stimulating recovery and helps you calm down (Redactie GGZ Nieuws, 2021). 

Take a walk through the Noorderplantsoen/Stadspark!
It is always a good idea during the exam period to take regular breaks to take a walk in the park. The repetitiveness of nature helps sooth your mind! If you encounter an overactive brain due to stress and have a hard time to relax, it may help to try to recognize as many details as you see during your walk. An example of this thinking exercise: ”I now walk on this sandy path, there are some rocks on it, I also see a dog, and these three have some leaves left and so on… This might sound stupid but it can help distract your brain from all theories and models you have been studying!”

Don’t be too hard on yourself!
Sometimes it feels like you’re never doing enough. It is important to keep in mind that times are challenging and that timely rewarding of yourself is important. Cook your favorite meal, get yourself those chocolates, go do that workout your roommate invited you to (even though you could use that hour to study) to sweat the stress out.. You are worth it!

Helpful contact details

  • May you ever encounter suicidal thoughts, please contact 113. They can advise you on what to do with your thoughts and you can also schedule a meeting with a psychologist right away. 

  • Need a person to talk to? Feel free to reach out to our confidential advisors, Fleur van den Berg (f.vandenberg@ebfgroningen.nl) or Mathijn Kanne (m.kanne@ebfgroningen.nl).

  • Want to talk to someone anonymously? The website ‘are you okay?’ offers a chat service from 14:00 till 22:00, 7 days a week. You can call them as well on the number 0800-0450. Find more information on: https://www.allesoke.nl/en

16-01-2023

 

References:

Koers, J. (2022, December 14). Hoger Onderwijs Moet Werk Maken van Mentale Gezondheid Studenten - Trimbos-Instituut. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.trimbos.nl/actueel/nieuws/hoger-onderwijs-moet-werk-maken-van-mentale-gezondheid-studenten/

Redactie GGZ Nieuws. (2021, November 13). Veel stress en Eenzaamheid Onder Studenten: Inzicht, tips en initiatieven. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from https://www.ggznieuws.nl/veel-stress-en-eenzaamheid-onder-studenten-inzicht-tips-en-initiatieven/